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This invention relates to animal collars, particularly to a strong, decorative, and substantially filamented animal collar having a jewelry quality sequence of adorning items incorporated as a functional part of the collar structure, and a method for its manufacture, that can be used by an animal handler to fulfill the basic pet collar functions of being able to exercise control over a domestic animal while it is being ambulated via the use of a leash or other tether and providing a means of being able to affix to the domestic animal law mandated disease inoculation records as well as personalized identity information, and which in addition to these basic functions also provides a means of adorning the domestic animal with a selection of attractive jewelry quality filament-supported decorations, including precious and semi-precious stones, according to the stylishness and preference of the animal owner/handler. Due to the sturdiness and strength of its construction, there is minimal risk of filament breakage or unfastening and loss of the valuable stones and other adorning items, and little risk of the animal wearing the collar swallowing any of the valuable stones, crystals, pearls, antique beads, and/or other filament supported decorations. Existing multi-purpose collars fail to simultaneously fulfill the basic pet collar functions mentioned above, while also adorning a domestic animal with attractive, durable, jewelry quality, and secure filament-supported decorations.
Historically, domestic pets have been useful members of human society, loved and honored companions, and symbols of status for individuals and organizations alike. People continue to incorporate pets into modern society, however, for a variety of important reasons modern pet owners are required to exercise responsibilities to society in the course of their pet ownership and thereby have an obligation to provide certain tools during the exercise of such responsibilities. One such pet ownership tool is the pet collar. A pet collar should have a sturdy construction to enable an owner/handler to exercise control over his or her pet in public and when otherwise needed. It also should provide a means for affixing a variety of informational devices thereto, such as pet identification tags and government-required inoculation badges. Further, for those who love pets and treat them as honored companions, and according to the stylishness and preference of the animal owner/handler, pet collars can be also made to function as decorative embellishments and adorning devices. However, prior to use of the present invention, high-quality decorations, including but not limited to precious and semi-precious stones, antique beads, pearls, and crystals, were seldom used as adorning items or embellishments for pets since the flexible lengths of fabric, fiber, and/or rubber materials used to support them had a limited useful lives and limited strength that caused such materials to be at risk for breakage under the stress of use, and which as a result placed all adorning items and embellishments of appreciable value supported by such materials at a risk for loss while at the same time presented a safety hazard to animals wearing them who might attempt to swallow loose adorning items after breakage. In contrast, the present invention has a more sturdy construction than prior art collars attempting to incorporate an aligned sequence of adorning items into their structure and allows a pet owner/handler to decorate his or her pet with high quality decorative objects that provide visible evidence of the status and value of the pet, and/or provide decoration that communicates the stylishness and preferences of the owner/handler.
While the following inventions represent prior art for the present invention and may provide one or more of the functions described hereinabove, none alone or in combination teaches all of the features and advantages of the present invention. The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,037 to Tozawa (1994) is a cat collar that uses a slip-prohibiting friction clasp that allows for disengagement of the clasp members when a predetermined resistance is reached. Thus, the Tozawa clasp allows the collar to become unleashed and sets the animal free in the event that the collar gets caught on a foreign object or the animal is involved in a struggle. While the Tozawa clasp would prevent breakage of its collar under stress and would thereby prevent any adorning items thereon from becoming lost or swallowed by the cat wearing it, the Tozawa invention does not teach the jewelry-like and strong filamented support of a sequence of adorned items as a part of the functioning collar structure that is fundamental to the present invention. Similarly, the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D206,525 to Klimkiewicz (1966) is dog collar with bib ornamentation. Although ornamentation is involved, the Klimkiewicz invention does not teach the jewelry-like and strong filamented support of adorned items found in the present invention. Further, the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,891 to Moeller (1982) is an adjustable animal collar that uses a buckle and spaced-apart holes to adjust the collar to various sizes to accommodate different sized animals. Although the present invention also has a buckle and spaced-apart holes, it is the strong filamented support of a sequence of adorning items that distinguishes the present invention from the Moeller invention and other existing inventions. In addition, the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,233 to Bozzazzo (1983) discloses a safety collar for pets that can include the attachment of reflective forms and shapes. The Bozzazzo collar incorporates attachments transversely extending from the length direction of the collar, with the attachments optionally comprising elements of highly reflective material on individual hook-like members suspended about the collar to signal oncoming traffic as to the presence of the animal during situations involving reduced visibility. However, the means of attachment of adorning items in the Bozzacco invention does not teach the structure, means of attachment, or manner of use for the adorning items in the present invention In addition, the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,876 to Wilken (1988) is a restraint collar which uses a pliable and thickened elongated pad for the area between the base of the shoulders and the animal""s neck with hook-and-pile type of fastening means to snugly place the collar around the animal""s neck. Although the Wilken invention teaches secure connection of its collar around the neck of a pet so as to prevent the collar from breaking under stress, the Wilken invention does not teach the jewelry-like and strong filamented support of adorning items that is fundamental to the present invention. As a result, no prior art alone or in combination is known that discloses a means of fulfilling all three of the above-identified purposes of a pet collar, that is, to provide a functional collar that is sufficiently strong to enable the pet owner to exercise control over the domestic animal without collar breakage under routinely anticipated conditions, to supply an effective connection means that enables the pet owner to attach leash and other temporary tether devices to the collar as well as permanently affixed items such as identification tags and inoculation badges, and finally to supply a jewelry-like aligned sequence of decorative components including but not limited to precious stones, semi-precious stones, metallic objects, antique beads, pearls, glass beads, crystal beads, other valuable objects adaptable for threaded/stringed attachment, and the like, as well as related identification adornments, as a part of the functioning portion of the pet collar with a filamented construction that has a sufficiently strong composition and assembly to protect expensive decorative components against loss. The present invention provides a way in which to communicate the stylishness and preferences of an animal""s owner/handler that is not found in any other known animal collar.
The primary object of this invention is to provide an animal collar of sufficient strength to enable an animal owner/handler to maintain control over his or her domestic animal in routinely encountered ambulating situations while adorning the animal with a jewelry-like aligned sequence of decorations according to the stylishness and preferences of the owner/handler. It is also an object of this invention to provide an animal collar having a means by which to attach durable identification tags and law mandated badges thereto. It is a further object of this invention to provide a sturdy and permanent means of affixing a sequence of jewels and other highly valued decorations to make the sequence a functioning part of an animal collar and whereby due to the sturdiness of construction the risk of decoration loss due to collar breakage or unfastening is minimized. It is also an object of this invention to provide a method of animal collar construction that allows for a variety of distinctive and unique appearances. It is a further object of this invention to provide an animal collar that is made from materials that are durable and require little or no maintenance between uses.
As described herein, properly manufactured and used, the present invention improves the domestic animal collar in very significant ways. Its filamented construction enables the owner/handler of an animal to have a primary use collar that is durable under routinely anticipated pet use, and in addition it provides an attractive collar enabling the display of a variety of highly valued decorations having distinctive and unique appearances, including but not limited to precious and semi-precious stone components, crystals, pearls, antique beads, vintage beads glass beads, metallic objects, and the like. Each preferred embodiment of the present invention collar comprises a central filamented portion and non-filamented end members connected thereto which are configured for fastening the filamented portion around the neck of a domestic pet. The type, configuration, size, and number of each adorning item used as a part of the functional filamented portion of the present invention collar can vary and include, but is not limited to, assorted sizes and shapes of glass, plastic, gold, other metals, crystal, pearls, antique beads, vintage beads, decorated beads, painted beads, inlaid beads, cloisonne, precious stones, and semi-precious stones. Thus, the variation of appearance is only limited by the stylishness and preference of the owner/handler. The filamented portion is then secured via proximal end loops therein to corresponding loops made in the proximal ends of the non-filamented end members using a decorated fastener, such as a crimping bead. Additional crimping beads and/or other means can optionally be used throughout the filamented portion of the present invention to minimize the number of beads/objects affected should stresses applied to the filament ever cause it to break. The non-filamented end members can be made from materials that include but are not limited to leather, suede, fabric, metal, and plastic. Stitching, with or without bonding agents, is typically used to form the looped proximal ends in the non-filamented end members. The decorated fasteners forming the proximal end loops in the filamented portion can be made a part of the looped ends and placed in an unobtrusive but visible position, or placed entirely out of view within the looped proximal end of one of the non-filamented end members. In the alternative, the decorated fasteners securing the ends of the filamented portion can be featured as a distinctive and visible part of the decorative collar structure. The filament and decorated fastener give the present invention sufficient strength to enable an animal owner/handler to maintain control over his or her domestic animal in routinely encountered ambulating situations. The sturdiness of the filament construction minimizes the risk of collar breakage and decoration loss, as does the incorporation of assembly procedures that reduce the number of beads/objects affected should breakage occur. A D-ring or other connector is provided as a part of one of the non-filamented end members for attachment of a leash or other tether, as well as durable identification tags and law mandated badges. It is also contemplated for the filament construction to be permanent and durable, and for the adorning items to require little or no maintenance other than the occasional removal of surface debris on an as needed basis. Further in the interest of minimizing maintenance, although silver decorations could be used and are considered within the scope of the present invention, other non-tarnishing decorative objects would be preferred for the filamented portion of the present invention unless treated with a long-lasting tarnish resistant coating.
The description herein provides the preferred embodiments of the present invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the filamented pet collar invention. For example, variations in the type, number, sequencing, and configuration of the adorning items used as a part of the filamented portion; the length of the filamented portion and the non-filamented end members; the type of decorative fastener used to secure the ends of the filamented portion; and the number, type, configuration, and positioning of leash/tag/badge connection means used, other than those shown and described herein, may be incorporated into the present invention. Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than being limited to the examples given.